​​2019 is a three year and gives us an opportunity to create something out of the lemon 11 that was 2018. Some of the slower planets that put their toes into the next sign to test the waters last summer will find new decade-long homes after years of folks feeling victimized. Some of those planets will upset the applecart, keeping us on our toes, instead of testing. There will be some opportunity for grounding, due to the presence of Saturn in earthy Capricorn for at least two more years—holding us down like a kite runner—and thanks to Pluto’s enduring transformation of the earth, maybe literally, upon which we walk until 2024. At year’s end of 2019, Jupiter will expand both monetary growth possibilities and probably government—sorry, GOP! Institutional growth and new technology are coming our way in the 20’s, so we may be roaring again in a new millennium.

Mars harkens in the new year by returning to his own sign of Aries. This is good news for those out of work or with dragging energy. Mars is happy and full of verve in his own sign and hyper-idealistic. Only problem is, he doesn’t have a lot of staying power. Known for his impulsivity and directive qualities, Aries tends to be bossy, which doesn’t necessarily get things done. You need the village, right? And Uranus, on his way to a re-run of the exciting summertime 2018 upheaval,(but for the long haul) will create an ever-changing field on which to play. Should be an interesting ball game, at least! The good news is, we begin the year with 4 planets in their home fields: Mars in Aries, Jupiter in Sagittarius, Saturn in Capricorn, and Neptune in Pisces. These planets are cozy there and at their greatest aid to us there, as long as their aspects to OUR home planets don’t have a “bad-billiards” set-up.

The year begins with a kite formation including the trines of Mars with Venus in late Scorpio and the North Node in Cancer, with the head of the kite being South Node Capricorn. Technically, this is a water trine that will then extinguish Mars in Pisces influences as Mars moves into fiery Aries. Still, this kite configuration at the year’s end/new year’s entrance has some important info to offer. The head of the kite is South Node in Capricorn, which is what we have experienced before and what we are leaving behind. As we are gradually going to be leaving Capricorn stuff behind, I feel like these nodes, on the Cancer/Capricorn axis, are leading us out of the patriarchy or at least the world of Scrooge—where materialism, privilege, and social status are important—to one where caring and nurturing, more akin to a matriarchy, is important. As this nodal axis will only be there for about a year and a half, you can see this is just an introduction to such energies, which the Capricorn stellium in upcoming years will make an effort to challenge. This battle will play out powerfully in the 2020 election, and we will see major challenges beginning in December 2019. We have already seen #MeToo and #FamiliesBelongTogether movements. These are only hints of what’s to come in the Cancer/Capricorn balancing of power. Note that, in the kite, Mars & Venus are part of it—a classic Adam & Eve metaphor—or more aptly, Adam vs. Lilith. Get with the program, Adam!

Pluto transforms, and so the lesson it teaches is, transform, rise above, or get cut off at the knees, basically. Pluto, even in one of its glyphs, reminds me of a scythe. You must change, you must do better, or lose everything. There is always a choice. Pluto is here to ultimately elevate us to a higher spiritual level, give us the option to act and choose consciously, with souls in mind, instead of selfishly or out of mindless emotional reaction and pettiness. If you don’t rise above and become your better self, woe unto you! We ARE here to evolve, after all, and no better sign in which to do it than the sign of the fish-becoming-goat. Is that not an appropriate metaphor for the spiritual becoming material—and even greedy? (and then, hopefully, finding a balance of both?)(well, no greed) Maybe Goat, much as I love him, needs to have some feelings. That is the lesson, after all, of this nodal pattern and the eclipse patterns for this year as well.

Speaking of eclipses, we have our first as a partial solar eclipse in Capricorn on January 5, on the New Moon. Since eclipses have an influence for about 6 months, this is a perfect opportunity to make some new year’s resolutions and habits that will stick. Part of that is Saturn’s influence, also in Cap, because Saturn helps us work diligently and practice, accomplish, dig in, and buckle down. There is no better sign for losing weight or exercise training or learning a new language, hobby, or artistic/musical discipline. Saturn in Capricorn is the ideal candidate for helping us get our ducks in a row, save money, invest, accomplish those more unpleasant tasks of life. Make your I-don’t-want-to-do-this Bucket List, folks, and do it now while you still have Saturn pressuring you. With Saturn, here’s the rub: you must do what he says to do, or he slaps you down. Saturn is heavy, so if you go with the flow, you will use his pressure to accomplish. If you don’t, well, you’ll just get squished, and that’s messy. So, get with the program, and use Saturn to help you do things like get your health and money, will, business, and education in order. Do it. You won’t regret it. With the New Moon there, helping you get started, as all new Moons are wont to do, now’s the time! You will feel the results in June and July, thanks to the eclipse. Signs most affected with be mid-Capricorns and Cancers, as well as, to a lesser—or more challenging aspect, Ariens and Libras. The choices you make and the actions you take now have far-reaching effects—not just in six months, but for decades. That’s how important this is, y’all. The beginning of January is all about the nuts and bolts of living, so be practical, no airy-fairy stuff as we begin the new year. It’s all down and dirty, and that’s all right, and, for now, as it should be. Use the week following the eclipse to run around and do your errands and get balls rolling. Be disciplined, ask questions, read fine print, as Saturn connecting with Mercury reminds us to be careful of contracts, dates, tickets, and promises promises. Get it in writing, folks! This isn’t a retrograde, but with some square aspects present, there could be difficulties, so just make sure stuff is exactly the way you want it!

There is a second eclipse, a total lunar one, in Cancer on January 20. The moon being what it is, and Cancer being what she is, that should be an emotional one, so make sure you have tissues in the house. Is someone leaving, or is someone arriving? With this eclipse hitting Mercury/Pluto (an intensification or cutting off of communication) that comes suddenly (square Uranus) with Jupiter/Venus in Sagittarius square Neptune in Pisces in the mix (love is coming or going from afar—which is it? Are you in the know, or is it a surprise?) you may be crying tears of sorrow—or hopefully, of joy. Either way, let your tears and laughter cleanse your soul. Use your intuition to figure out which it is.

Mars connects with Uranus in Aries in February, as Mars smacks disruptive Uranus with a backhand before both transit into Taurus. As happened last summer, the masses will rise again—loads of chitchat aimed at GROUPS and SEPARATION, so, yes, we may have to do that song and dance again, some battles and volatility. February 13th/14th may bring a surprise, and with Venus approaching Saturn (karmic love) and Neptune and Mercury in Pisces in the mix, let’s hope the surprise is a good and loving one from a soul mate. Don’t forget to ask St. Valentine’s for exactly what you want, folks, or there could be a big MISS in that department. Perhaps Saint Val’s should be enthroned in jewelry stores, candy stores, and flower shops during this time of year. New tradition? What do you say, ladies? Want to sit on Val’s lap? We could have thousands of Fabios and Bradley Cooper laps upon which to perch in February. That just might be fun!

Anybody getting married? Looks like some long-distance loves (or a foreign-born love?) could be making things Capricorn-style official—tradition!!! This kind of formal commitment energy is hanging around the third week of February, along with a flurry of chaos. I must point out that a positive expression of Mars/Uranus connections include travel, moving, house cleaning, and special events like marriages, anniversary parties, quinceaneras, etc. so I hope one of those is among your personal chaos. Chiron moves back into Aries after its fall hiatus in Pisces. Remember how annoyed (nice word!) everyone got last summer about the kids separated at the border? Well, hello again, outrage! We just spent a decade or more, feeling used and victimized and licking our wounds, while Chiron the Wounded Healer was in that most vulnerable of signs, Pisces. Last summer, when Chiron shortly visited Aries, we heard an outcry of “We’re not going to take it anymore!” and “If I have to do this by myself, I will!” What we are now seeing is the empowerment of the wounded healer, as he moves into Aries, an action sign and an independent sign. The unexpected leader arises, the one who is unafraid to go where no one has gone before. So, look out, world! We’re BACK!!! This healer/leader/instigator will be with us for about another 9 years; get used to it! Now’s the time for action, y’all! What makes you mad? What ya gonna do about it? Now’s the time. On the good side, don’t eff with Mother Nature—or Mother, for that matter, or even the downtrodden. On the other hand, those people who feel THEY have been being abused (privileged folks who realize they don’t have the power they once did and who are worried about losing it to the masses) may offer us a few more rogue crazies who think their actions are saving the world. Unfortunately, human beings are both good and bad, and some have a twisted idea of hero-ship. Watch out for them. Nevertheless, folks won’t take this sh** lying down, either. So, karma’s a bitch, and no one is exempt.

As February ends, I fear we may all be needing to vent and express our feelings, sorrow, and healing. This will be necessary as erratic Uranus will head into normally stable Taurus, but the discordant nature of Uranus is not so great in stubborn Taurus, an earth sign ruled by laws of nature. Of course, the only rule is, all life is subject to change, and so change we will. Institutions, banks, schools, government and all those things we count on for stability will be upended. Money markets are in for a rocky ride, so if you thought the end of 2018 was bad, get ready. Uranus will reside in Taurus until approximately 2027, causing earthquakes and other landslides and probably tsunamis. We haven’t seen anything yet. The good news is, Taurus trines all the Capricorn stuff, so the changes must be necessary for transformation. I do think everything will be online or on cards by 2027, as Uranus moves to Gemini, if not sooner, as Saturn goes into Aquarius and Pluto in Aquarius ushers in the new age of technology. In this case, look for, much much sooner, breakthroughs in food and gardening technology, a return to the practical and immediate arts and music, and a complete change in how banking and government systems are organized. Exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time! If you are a Taurus (or a Cancer) and don’t want to ride on the tides of change, expect to be swept away, like it or not. Those holding onto old ways will get buried by the new ways and technology, so prepare to keep up! Think of it as planting new seeds to help you grow. Try it out!

As Saturn nears Pluto in late April and early May, prepare for the beginning of something that needs to transform—or end. What did I say at the beginning of this writing? Change or die, really. I’m not completely serious about the “die” part. I just mean, you must accept that there is a major ending and major new beginning coming THIS YEAR that cannot be stopped. Really, there is nothing else to do but accept it. You may get a little reprieve when Saturn goes retro and backs away from Pluto in late May to October, but as it crosses and touches Pluto in January of next year, we will be pretty clear that IT’s OVER, and we can say “Uncle!” and you know what? What a relief!!!! Jupiter and Mars will head into that melee, ringing in the new year 2020 LATE but with a band, and it will be good. We will all realize that it’s over, and it’s been over. We can move on. It will all be okay, I promise.

To know where this major ending/major new beginning takes place in your chart, look to approximately the 20-30 degree range of Capricorn. Where is that in your chart? What does it oppose? What things are 90 degrees away (squares)? These will be where the most changes will occur. Make no mistake, this will change the lives of EVERYONE, but Capricorns and Cancers (mid-to-late) will have the biggest changes, followed by Ariens and Libras. Take the high road, guys.